Electric switch



Jan. 1, 1929.

W.. R. HUTTINGER v ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 1, 1929.

W. R. HUTTINGER ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 29; 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 srarss FTENT FFl'CE.

WILLIAM R. HUTTINGER, OF LANSDOWNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SVTITGI-I.

Application filed December 29, 1923. Serial No. 683,514.

One object of this invention is to provide a novel form of terminal structure, particularly designed for use on high tension switches, which shall not only include means for guiding a switch blade into proper engagement with a contact member, but shall also be of such form as to enclose and protect said member from accumulations of ice, snow or sleet which might render operation of the switch difficult or impossible.

It is further desired to provide a novel form of protecting hood for a switch terminal which may be easily applied and which, while permitting the free engagement of the switch blade with its cooperating fixed contact member, shall include portions de signed to guide said Switchblade prior to its engagement with the contact member so as to cause it to ultimately occupy such a po sition as will insure its proper relation there with.

I also desire to provide a novel arrangement and mounting for the blade-actuating mechanism of a high tension switch, so de signed as to maintain at a maximum the striking distances between parts at different potentials and at the sametime effectually prevent short circuiting or grounding in the event of any of said actuating mechanism getting disconnected or breaking.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a front and a side elevation of a high tension switch constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the sleet hood constituting part of my invention and certain of its associated parts;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a plan of the device.

In the above drawings, 1 1 represent sup porting structures upon each of which are mounted two stacks or series of high tension insulators 2 and 3, of which the first carries a fixed contact 4 to which is hinged one end of a more or less elongated switch blade 5, preferably having the construction described and claimed in an application for U. S.

Patent Serial No. 409,058, filed September 9, 1920 by Robert Renke. Such a switch blade consists of two bars both pivoted to the fixed other.

contact 4 and spaced apart so that their free ends are substantially parallel and capable of engaging opposite sides of a second parallel faced fixed contact 6 carried by the insulator stack 3.

Associated with the contact 4 is a terminal lug 7 for the attachment of a conductor 8 and a similar lug 9 is likewise associated with the fixed contact 6 for the attachment of a second conductor 10; these lugs being preferably integral with the contacts with which they are respectively associated. In order to enclose the fixed contact 6 as far as possible, I mount on'the flat face of the terminal lug or plate 9 a hood structure 11. having a base portion 14 held to said plate by bolts 12, which are also preferably employed to connect the terminal conductorlO to said contact.

This enclosing hood in additionto the base portion 14 consists of two sides 13 adjacent the opposite parallel flat faces of the contact member 6 and an end member 14 and it will be noted that the upper parts of said sides flare outwardly, as indicated at 15, away from thetop of the contact member6 which projects between them. The inner surfaces of said sides converge toward the outer end of said contact and thereafter extend toward the base plate 14 parallel with but spaced away from said faces, as indicated at 16. Ribs 16 project toward each other from the inner surfaces of the sides 13 in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the end 14 and preferably opposite the middle portions of the contact 6. As a consequence, when the switch blade 5 is swung on the pivot connecting it to the contact member 4 so that it moves toward its closed position, its free parallel elements 5 pass between the flaring sides l5l5 of the hood and if they are out of alignment with the contact 6, engage one or the other of said ribs so as to be shifted to one side or the As the movement of the blade is continued, it is thus so directed that its elements 5" ultimately pass into engagement with the opposite parallel faces of the contact member 6 and when the switch is fully closed, occupy the relative positions shown in Fig. 6, for example, out of engagement with the ribs 16 of the hood.

In the present case I have provided operating means including a link consisting of a stack of insulators l9 pivoted to the blade 20 and having a rod passing through the channel iron constituting the structure 1. On that side of said structure opposite the insulator stacks 2 and; 3 and the blade 5 this rod is connected to the arm 21. This arm is fixed to an operating shaft 22.- carried in bearings 23 mounted on the supporting structure 1 and also having fixed to the. similar arms for the other switch blades of the unit. A tourth arm 24: is also fixed to the shatt and to it is pivoted an operating bar or link 25.

With the above described construction it will be appreciated that when the switch is closed, the hood" 11 very completely protects the fixed contact 6 and its cooperating end members of the switch blade from accumulationsot ice or sleet, since the switch as'a wliol e is customarily used; in such positions that the end portion 1a of the hood is either vertical, as shown in Fig. 2, or in some other position in which it and said side members enclose and protect the switch contact 6. It is theretore at all times possible to easilyopen or close the switch blade without bringing undue stress on any of the parts of the apparatus, since it is not possible for ice to so accumulate as to interfere with its operation.

It is moreover to be noted that the hoodmay be conveniently attached to a switch contact of the ordinary construction, since its base plate letis designed to fit on the flat terminal extension, 7 of such contact so that it may be retained in, position by the bolts customarily used to clamp a conductor terminal to said extension.

By arranging the shaft 22 with its arms,

bearings and operating rod on that side of the structure I opposite the switch terminaljs, blade and; conductors, said shaiit, etc. in no way attests the striking distance between parts of the switch having widely varied diiierences oi; potential and in the event of any of said parts breaking or getting loose their positions are such that they are prevented from possibility of short circuiting or grounding any of the switch parts.

I claim 1. An electric switch having two fixed contacts; a blade pivoted to one of said contacts and positioned to engage the second contactwith a protective hood for said second contact including ribbed portions tor guiding the blade into predetermined engagement with said contact.

2. As a new article of manufacture a hood for a switch terminal having two side members and a back member connecting the same formed to receive within them a switch contact to be protected, said side members having blade-guiding ribs.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a hood tor a switch terminal having side members adapted to receive between them a switch contact to be protected, said side members having blz'tde-engagingribs adapted to engage and guide a switch blade.

t/The combination in a switch of two contacts, a double blade pivoted to one ot the contacts and formed" to engage opposite siles of the other contact;-- and a box lilre hood on said second contact and having ribs positioned to guide the blade into engagement with, the contact, said' ribs terminating short of the inner portion of the box-likehood so as to be spaced away from said blade when the switch is in full closed position.

' WILLIAM R. HUTTINGER. 

